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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27477670">[white noise]</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dead_Fireflies375/pseuds/Dead_Fireflies375'>Dead_Fireflies375</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Archive 81, Connor &amp; Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Elijah Kamski &amp; Gavin Reed are Half-Siblings, F/F, Gavin and Tina being mlm x wlw solidarity, Gavin is a dumb gay, Inspired by Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, M/M, MY hyperfixations I get to write the hyper niche crossover fic, Minor Character Death, Nines is Static Man from A81 lol, Nines is made of static and teeth, Rituals, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, based on season 3 of Archive 81, but it's only mentioned like once very quickly, eldritch monster!Nines, kinda a slow burn? but not really, lots of rituals actually, no beta we die like men, referenced past terminal illness, semi graphic descriptions of gore and rituals, so medium burn I guess, spot the DE references folks lol, sticking to A81 canon Gavin has a bad leg that causes him to need a cane but it's not a plot point</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:47:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27477670</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dead_Fireflies375/pseuds/Dead_Fireflies375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin Reed's half brother that he never met dies suddenly and leaves him information of a side to reality that he never knew existed of eldritch forces and magic.</p><p>Now, he and his best friend, Tina, are working together to complete an extremely powerful ritual. This draws unwanted attention to them and very quickly he and Tina realize that they are in way over their heads. After a very close call with a very dangerous person, Gavin and Tina attempt a ritual to summon a force that is supposed to protect them. </p><p>Gavin thought he was prepared for anything. What he wasn't prepared for was the being made out of entirely static and teeth that appeared. What he REALLY didn't prepare for was starting to get attached to said being.</p><p> </p><p>OR The Archive 81 Au no one asked for where Gavin is Nicholas Waters and Nines is Static Man.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ada (Detroit: Evolution)/North (Detroit: Become Human), Tina Chen &amp; Gavin Reed, Tina Chen (Detroit: Become Human)/Valerie Morales-Chen, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>[white noise]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have many emotions about Reed900 and many emotions about StatNick. This was written on impulse.</p><p>While it follows the rough outline of plot points for season 3, I rewrote like 95% of everything because Static Man is a perpetual frat-boy and like zero of his dialogue would have worked for Nines. By extension, Nicholas Waters' tired academic vibes also don't match Gavin. Also, had to replace Popeyes with Starbucks because it made more sense for Nines? But I left the Over the Garden Wall references in because I love that show lol</p><p>Anyways go listen to Archive 81 even if you haven't. Even though this is going to reveal some of the later plot points, there's like so much of the story that isn't even touched on in this and Dan Powell's sound mixing abilities are like next level.</p><p>Also this is based on a horror podcast, but a lot of the horror I think is in the sound design and doesn't translate as much via text. Also Nicholas and Static Man's storyline is like the least creepy thing in the podcast so you should be fine even if horror isn't your thing.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gavin was starting to get sick of rituals.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had started innocently enough. His half brother from the family he had been estranged from had died from an unforeseen illness and Gavin discovered there was more to that side of his family than he had known growing up. There was so much more to the world than he had ever known and thumbing through the notebook he was left in the will barely scratched the surface. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Supernatural eldritch horrors, alternate dimensions, and magic rituals, reading the notes his half brother had left him gave him more questions than answers. Which was a problem, because Gavin liked to have answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin wasn’t one for working with others, but there was something yelling in the back of his mind that this wasn’t something to go in alone. There was only one person he could call, and when Tina read the notes, she was gripped with the same intense curiosity he had been gripped by.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe they should have started out small. Try a small low-risk ritual just to make sure it’s not bullshit. But go big or go home. There was the [redacted] ritual. A ritual so powerful that its name could never be recorded. The end goals were vague and unclear, and there was more than one step that if done incorrectly would result in death or other unpleasant circumstances. But Gavin was as daring as he was reckless and Tina was not half as good at being a source of impulse control as she would like to believe. So they started the [redacted] ritual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first step, one of many purification rituals, squashed any doubts Gavin might have had about the validity of these rituals. It started simple enough. They followed every step as precisely as possible. It was when Tina started to struggle violently while Gavin had to hold her down in the bucket of water that he got concerned. He couldn’t let her come up for air until the song playing on the tape recorder finished. Luckily, it wasn’t too long before he was able to let her come up for air. But that was when she suddenly started violently coughing up seawater. And then she coughed up the perfectly dry tape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They immediately played it to hear a female voice saying, “<em>Find Maria Schaeffer.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that was the last point of Gavin’s life where things had felt like they made sense. They had done several more rituals now, worked alongside beings that should not be within our perception of reality, and Tina continued to cough up tape recorders with important information on them. They were closer to finishing the ritual, but things had become much more dangerous. There was a cult chasing them down because they had accidentally opened a door to the other reality with their first purification ritual, who also hired a mercenary, a man named Markus, to track them down and trap them in some other domain of his via doors. And then there was the matter of Gavin’s leg. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not all of their rituals had gone well. He and Tina had been stuck, they didn’t know what else to do. So they attempted to complete a ritual for more information. In the end, Gavin hadn’t been able to keep the raw sheep’s heart that he had to eat for it down and he paid the price drastically. He still had his right leg, but walking on it for an extended period of time was out of the question. The details of the ritual prevented him from seeking medical help for a week after the incident, but there was nothing they could do anyway. His leg was magically fucked for good and it served as a harsh reminder for the both of them that there was no going back now. Tina had found a cool cane that he had to use for when it hurt too much to walk normally and that was that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now Gavin was sitting alone on a motel bed, anxiety gnawing at his gut. Tina was out talking to Amanda, one of the beings they had encountered early on. Maria had informed them about Amanda. She worked as a source of information and help when one was at their wit's end, only needing something in exchange. It was a fairly simple ritual where one would call Amanda on a payphone. Gavin had talked to her in order to get a protection ritual and more information, to which Amanda had given him the ultimatum of either sawing off his left hand or causing a pretty awful thing to happen to Hank Anderson, one of his old colleagues from work, and agreeing to see something that he should not have seen at some point. He still felt guilty about what he did to Hank. Amanda had assured him that whatever occurred to him would not be linked back to Gavin, and Gavin had dropped any and all contact with those from his former life besides Tina so he never found out what actually happened. He reasoned with himself that the original deal Amanda offered him, horribly maiming Hank in exchange for a more powerful protection ritual, was much worse than what he actually did. He wasn’t a total monster. After all, what choice did he have in the end?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A close call with Markus where they had to call Amanda to get them out of danger meant that Tina was now making a deal with her. Before she left, she told him that she was going to get them some more protection too. They had escaped by the skin of their teeth, tossed their phones in the river, and altered their appearances before checking into a motel far outside of Detroit under a different name in order to keep those tracking them off their trail, but both of them knew it wasn’t enough. Even getting rid of all the mirrors to prevent scrying was only a temporary fix.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin was worried. He didn’t know what the price Tina would have to pay was and if she would be able to pay it. He prayed to whatever deities were listening to him that she wasn’t going to have to saw off one of her limbs in a dusty payphone booth in order to make her payment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Relief filled Gavin when he heard the sound of the specific knock Tina used to indicate it was her at the door. He swung it open to see his best friend, still with all of her limbs attached. She walked in and plopped down on the bed he had been sitting on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amanda gave me a ritual for us to summon a protector. The exact nature of the help is vague, but I’ve got all the details written down here,” she said as she handed him a folded up piece of paper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin looked it over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, that’s a really specific coffee order,” he pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just glad this one doesn’t involve any more virgin blood. The concept of virginity is so vague in these and I’m running out of gold star lesbians that I could get blood from. Not really a fan of having to bleed out a pint of blood myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still, coffee? And this is an order for Starbucks, like that is the weirdest component we’ve been asked for so far and I had to make paintbrushes out of human hair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina shrugged. “Apparently it’s not essential to the ritual, but Amanda advised that we should have it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. So… what did it cost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We owe her a favor. Don’t know what it is, just that we’re going to have to work in the interests of the system.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that sounds… ominous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In a few days, I apparently am going to have someone I love ripped out of my life. Don’t worry, I checked and it’s not going to be you. According to Amanda, if there’s no one else I love when it’s due to happen, the deal still stands. Seeing as you’re the only person in my life right now who I can say that I love, all I got to do is make sure I don’t fall in love with anyone else. Pretty easy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, at least you didn’t have to saw your hand off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, my alternative was gouging out my eyes with a rusty knife.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin grimaced. “Man whatever Amanda is, she’s got some weird interests.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re telling me, man. Hopefully, that favor doesn’t bite us in the back later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to go start gathering materials for the ritual,” Gavin informed her as Tina flopped back on the bed to rest for a bit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You sure we got everything?” Tina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mechanical pencil, sterilized knife, piece of paper, video on how to do origami cranes, a lighter, and a bucket.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina looked over the list again. “Yup, that’s all of it. You also got the Starbucks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Gavin said holding up the drink, “got it the exact style Amanda specified,” Gavin paused, “You know what? If you told me at the start of all of this that in order to summon an eldritch abomination to protect us, I’d have to go pay for some shitty overpriced corporate coffee, I would have laughed in your face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we can’t all be coffee snobs, Mr. I-only-go-to-indie-coffee-shops-so-I-can-piss-off-everyone-with-how-superior-my-coffee-is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s about supporting local businesses!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, whatever nerd. Ready to do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup. Got the tape recorder on and recording.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s get started.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ritual was simple enough. First, they had to crush the mechanical pencil. Tina pricked her finger on the knife and drew three drops of blood that fell on the piece of paper. Gavin then folded the paper into an origami crane, which they then set on fire for ten seconds before dousing with water. Suddenly the tape recorder began to make a funny noise. Gavin and Tina watched with apprehension as a staticy form began to ooze out of the tape recorder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Gavin swore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The figure continued to grow. It was made entirely of swirling static and… teeth? Dozens of razor-sharp teeth swirled in the creature's form as it drew itself to its menacing height.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am the whisper on the wind, I am the ice of winter’s heart, I am the knife in the dreaming. I am here to fill your darkest desires… and to exact my price,” the voice rasped out in a dark staticy voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin felt Tina grab his wrist. This was not what they were expecting. Before Gavin could figure out what to do next, the figure suddenly deflated with what sounded like… laughter?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys must be so new at this, you look so scared!” the figure laughed out in a much lighter and relaxed tone. The figure was then shifting into a much more humanoid form but was still composed solely of static and teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhm… what?’ Gavin asked, anxiety giving way to perplexedness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That line sounded like it was from some cheesy horror movie from the 80s. Corporate requires me to say it, but most people just laugh it off because it’s so ridiculous. But you guys- I’m sorry for laughing, it’s just quite funny to see people get so frightened by what sounds like a line from cheesy vampire erotica.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… yeah, dude,” Tina responded, sharing a confused look with Gavin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me, is that Starbucks over there?” the figure said pointing to the drink sitting on the table, “I’m impressed.” The figure hovered over to the table before picking up the drink with his approximation of hands. He then consumed the drink with inhuman speed, which was hard to watch as he didn’t really have a mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina and Gavin continued staring awkwardly at the strange creature. Luckily, he seemed to get the hint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Hello, my name is Nines,” the figure informed them and waved what appeared to be like a hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhm… hi, Nines?” Tine said with uncertainty laced in her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I know it’s a bit odd of a name for a static ghost made out of teeth, but when you lose your physical form and get turned into a monster, it’s a good excuse to try out some new names. If I went by something more normal like Arthur or Nicholas, it would be even more ill-fitting. I like the name Nines.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… okay, Nines, I’m Gavin and this is my best friend Tina” Gavin responded, not quite sure what to make of the figure in front of him. Or maybe that was the dizziness he was starting to get from looking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you. Also, I would recommend not looking directly at me. I am a non-euclidean entity and looking directly at me tends to give people headaches. I won’t be offended if you two look to the side instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin was silently thankful for that because he was starting to get a bad headache from looking directly at Nines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how might I help? I assume this is a job from Amanda?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, we’re looking for protection,” Tina informed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Shouldn’t be a problem for me. Why do you two need protection?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re being hunted by this organization, I’ve only heard it referred to as the cult? Some guy named Markus is messing with doors and trying to trap us,” Gavin explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Markus is after you guys?” Nines asked, sounding impressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we don’t really know much about him except to stay away from doors with a high pitched noise coming from them. We’ve also heard a recording of him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? What did he sound like? Was it like,” Nines paused before saying, “My name is Markus and I keep making Nines’ job more difficult for him because my targets keep going to his boss for help,” in a voice that sounded exactly like the tape recording the two of them had heard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, how did you do that? You sounded exactly like him!” Tina exclaimed, seemingly acclimating to the situation at hand far quicker than Gavin was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, I believe I said I was ‘the knife in the dreaming’ earlier. A lot of abilities are given to me because of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s so cool!” Tina said excitedly, “Can you do any voice?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any voice that I have heard, yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should do Gavin’s!” she said clamping her hand down on Gavin’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No! Don’t you fucking dare!” Gavin immediately jumped in. He wanted no part of these weird shenanigans. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines appeared to have tilted what Gavin assumed to be his head with what looked like a smile, which was quite impressive considering he had no face. “Don’t you fucking dare,” he parroted back with a perfect imitation of Gavin’s voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is… really fucking creepy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Apologies. I’m rarely called upon by people as agreeable as yourselves and having a moment of indulgence is nice. I believe we were talking about the man who was trying to kill you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Markus. Do you know the guy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. His ability to create that alternate dimension of sorts he traps people in is quite unique. I don’t believe I can name anyone else capable of such a feat. He’s more of a mercenary though. You mentioned the cult was after you? Have you recently attempted to do anything big in terms of rituals or magic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we’re currently working on the [redacted],” Tina explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines appeared to straighten up at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe I may have underestimated you two. That is quite an undertaking. That’s more than enough reason for the cult to send Markus after you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who exactly is this cult? What are they the cult of?” Gavin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are just referred to as The Cult. Their business is in keeping the two separate realms of reality as separate as possible and go after anyone who bridges the gap between them. They are a dangerous group, and those like you and me are their primary targets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin let the information sink in. He would have to make note of this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By the way, thank you for the Starbucks. It was delicious. Word of the wise, if you are ever in a position where you are allowed to request one food or beverage of your choice to be around when you are summoned into existence, an iced caramel macchiato from Starbucks is a good choice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait- hold on, the drink isn’t part of your weird curse thing or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No. I just like it. I’m not exactly a physical presence anymore, at least not very often. I can only exist like this when I’m being recorded,” Nines said as he gestured to the still on tape recorder, “I could make one request for people who summoned me, so I picked this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s not even good coffee!” Gavin cut in, quite forgetting the whole topic at the hand and that he was speaking to a being made out of static and teeth, “There are so many better places to go than Starbucks of all the coffee shops you could have picked from-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gavin,” Tina insisted as she pulled on his shirt sleeve, making him remember what exactly their current situation was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright. I’m aware that Starbucks is just another massive corporation sucking the soul out of everyone with their mediocre coffee at exuberant prices. They probably exploit their workers and don’t source their ingredients ethically, but what can I say? It tastes good and I like it. Don’t get many indulgences nowadays.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That makes sense,” Tina replied, though the expression on her face suggested that she was less than sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, back to the cult,” Gavin said, trying to steer the conversation back</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, the cult. I can’t exactly take them down or anything like that. They are very powerful and I do have limits to my ability. But I can get them to stop hunting you so fervently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be great! And we’d be able to pursue [redacted] normally?” Tina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Correct. I would advise staying away from any doors that have already been altered, but you should be safer from now on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… thanks, man,” Gavin said, “Do we need to do anything or… ?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I have it all under control. I’ll contact you when I’m done. I will see you in a bit,” Nines said as he fizzled out and disappeared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin and Tina exchanged a look at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So that was weird right?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that was really weird,” he agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess now we wait.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The duo had stayed in the motel waiting to hear back from Nines. Tina coughed up another tape recorder along with a bunch of seawater like usual. After listening to it and hearing the name Rose Chapman mentioned again (this wasn’t the first tape to feature her name), they began working on a plan to find her once the coast was clear. Suddenly the tape recorder turned on of its own volition as the motel phone began to ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin and Tina exchanged a worried look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t give anyone the motel’s phone number did you?” Gavin asked as he rushed over to the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, did you?” Tina responded as she followed him over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin shook his head. “Do we answer it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put it on speaker.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin did and a female voice began talking from the phone that they did not recognize.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>-but there remains the matter of our hiring… I am concerned about the people we keep on the payrol</em>l,” said the female voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>And what exactly are you concerned about?</em>” a male voice asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>The mercenaries, Markus in particular. I have advised caution against dealing with those who insist on disregarding our physical reality and-</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Everyone knows how you feel about the mercenaries, do you have anything new to add?</em>” a different male voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>They have grown expensive</em>,” the woman informed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Our resources are more than large enough to cover payroll</em>,” the first man responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Only because we insist on dealing with objects and-</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>We’re not going to rehash this argument once again. And if you object with the way the organization is dealing with unnatural entities, consider how your position would be affected if we changed our policy</em>,” the second man picked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>I understand…</em> “</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Now on to-</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was the sound of a tape recorder clicking on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>North? North, is that you?</em>” a new voice cut in. Gavin recognized it as the voice on some of the tapes Tina had coughed up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Ada? What are you doing here? I’m still-</em>” the woman responded, voice wavering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Where’s that voice coming from?</em>” the second man asked, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>What the hell is happening?</em>” shouted the other man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Well isn’t this convenient</em>,” Ada continued, however as she spoke her voice became distorted with static as it morphed into a more familiar voice, “<em>Apologies for the interruption, but I’m afraid this meeting is adjourned</em>,” Nines’ voice came over the speaker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sounds of static increased as the two men screamed out in pain. Their cries of terror turned into the sound of bodies being reduced to nothing but scarps of blood and guts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the men gave out their final gasp of breath, there was a beat of silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>What do you want? I am… listening</em>,” the woman who was referred to as North asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>You know how your people are trying to kill Gavin Reed and Tina Chen? The two attempting the [redacted] ritual?</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>I am aware</em>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>I am here to ask you to stop your pursuit of them.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>That will be difficult. I was not… part of that decision.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>I am going to be very honest with you right now. You just saw how I eviscerated your two colleagues over there. Now, I can continue doing that to every single one of your employees. You may attempt to kill me, however, I highly doubt that is possible due to my form. Or, you call off Markus and let the two of them go and I won’t bother you until my next job involving you.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>They are not in the habit of listening to my opinion on Markus.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Either you make this happen, or I will continue with this,</em>” Nines said and the sound of static increased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>It’s me. It’s Ada,</em>” Ada’s voice came through the phone’s speaker, “<em>North, why did you abandon me here? It’s so dark and  I’m stuck here alone and you-</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Stop!</em>” North declared with intensity, “<em>Just stop doing that.</em>” There was a beat of silence. “<em>Gavin Reed and Tina Chen will no longer be pursued. I will see to that at once.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>I am satisfied with that</em>,” Nines replied and the line went dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin and Tina didn’t have to wait long before Nines’ staticky figure was emerging out of the tape again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you got here fast,” Gavin observed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are certain benefits to lacking a material form.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the help,” Tina offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t say that I didn’t have some satisfaction in doing that,” Nines admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think they’ll keep their word?” Gavin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines nodded, “North is… well she is a lot closer to being something like me than something like you two now. Lying isn’t an ability she has maintained in her transformation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. I mean, thank you, Nines, like seriously we both appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was my pleasure. If you ever need help again or want to call me up for some other reason, I’m more than happy to assist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do we repeat the same ritual or…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no need for that. I can just give you a phone number to call in order to summon me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we destroyed our phones in a nearby river…” Tina admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because of the people chasing us?” Gavin added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s alright. Next time you purchase a smartphone. My number will be pre-programmed into it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks again,” Gavin said sincerely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will see you two around then,” Nines replied as he faded away again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s one less thing to worry about,” Tina said, giving Gavin a hopeful smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you think Nines was cute?” Tina asked Gavin the next morning as they got ready to hunt down and visit Rose Chapman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The hell, Tina?” Gavin sputtered, “That guy was just static and teeth!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But his voice was nice right? I saw the way you got goosebumps when he talked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The man was made of static electricity!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, but didn’t you get the vibe that he was lowkey flirting with you? Like with the whole copying your voice thing and everything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You asked him to do that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t have to. Pretty sure that’s not part of his contract with Amanda.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever this was all just business anyways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said we could call him up for non-work related reasons.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he said ‘for some other reason.’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same thing, dipshit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, that’s my line!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well stop being a dipshit already and admit you think his voice is attractive. It’s not like you’re the one who made a deal about having someone you love ripped out of your life in a few days like I did. What do you have to lose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not even attracted to men, what would you know about male voices being attractive or not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina just kept smirking at him, knowing she already won the battle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tips of Gavin’s ears turned red as he admitted, “Fine, his voice sounded nice now let’s focus back onto this ritual shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teasing grin she gave him was enough proof for Gavin that this was not the end of this for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finding Rose Chapman was fairly easy. She didn’t try to kill them or horribly maim them which automatically put her high on the list of better people they trusted. She had known Gavin’s brother Elijah and the Kamski side of the family. Gavin didn’t admit that he never got to know them. When they asked about the dream ambergris they needed for the ritual, Rose offered them one hard candy with the promise that it would send one of them on a dream journey where they would be able to fetch the dream ambergris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, I’ll do it,” Tina offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember the first time we smoked together? I handled that way better than you did. A dream journey sounds right up my alley.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re sure about this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure. Let’s do this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a simple ritual. Tina laid down in the bed, Gavin put on a tape that Rose told him to, and then Tina put the hard candy in her mouth. Almost instantly she was out like a light. Rose assured him that everything would be okay. She had entered the other realm of reality, the one they have tapped into for rituals. Time passed differently there and Rose said Tina would be awake in just a few minutes. But Gavin was worried. He had heard a lot about that other side of reality. An unexplored world full of leviathans, something of beauty and of terror. It was dangerous like everything else they had done and Gavin was concerned for his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was several agonizing minutes later when Tina finally stirred awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tina? Oh thank god, you’re alright!” Gavin said with a sigh of relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that was…” Tina moved to rub her eyes only to pull them back with surprise, “Am I… crying?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin looked to see that Tina’s eyes were bloodshot as tears had started pouring down her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that normal?” he asked Rose, hoping it was just a weird side effect of the magic drug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose shook her head, “No, it isn’t. Must be a leftover reaction from what you were doing over on the other side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t… remember. I think there was an ocean? And… there was someone else there, I think but I don’t-I can’t remember what their name was or what they looked like or-” she was cut off by violent coughs and the duo both groaned in realization.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about this,” Gavin apologized in advance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, Tina was coughing up the seawater followed by a stark dry tape recorder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man, I fucking hate doing that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should play the tape,” Rose suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin put it into the tape recorder and hit play.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>You are close. You must purify yourselves</em>,” Ada’s voice came over the speaker, “<em>I will send more tapes. And… if you see Val again, say hello for me.</em>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina furrowed her brow in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the hell is Val?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin shrugged, as far he knew neither of them knew anyone named Val or Valerie. Unless Tina had met someone named that during her dream journey, but she said she didn’t remember anyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck with finishing your ritual,” Rose said, “Don’t worry about cleaning up the seawater, I know how these things can be.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should call up Nines,” Gavin blurted out one night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Tina asked, with a mischievous grin already spreading across her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he seemed like a chill enough guy. Maybe if we called him up to just hang out, he would like that? We could really use more allies here and he seems like a good person to have on our side. It would be really useful for us if he liked us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah sure, that’s the only reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, he said he only exists when he’s being recorded right? And when he’s being recorded, it’s because he’s working a job? So the guy probably never has like any time to just not have to do stuff, so I think he’d like it if we could give him an excuse to have a break.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s this, Gavin Alexander Reed showing empathy to another being without being an asshole about it? I must still be in the dream world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think getting someone to be your friend for a tactical advantage is kinda an asshole move though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, what relationship isn’t transactional to some extent? I mean not everyone is some eldritch being that we could use to smite our enemies with, but I mean everyone enters a relationship hoping to get something out of it, even if it’s just emotional satisfaction.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My point is that you’re not as much of an asshole as you think you are and also you have a crush on Nines’ hot voice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin rolled his eyes. “No, I don’t. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to Starbucks so I can get something to convince a swirling pile of static and teeth that he should stay on our side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giggles from Tina resulted in a pillow being thrown at her face before Gavin left.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got the stuff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well he didn’t mention anything but the coffee that he liked. You’ve got the tape running?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup. Already recording.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin’s thumb hovered over the call button, but he hesitated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” he asked her suddenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That whole dream journey thing. Are you doing okay? I mean, I’m not the best at talking about this stuff but-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, really, Gavin. I mean, it just feels like when you wake up, knowing you had a dream, but no memory of it. Like there’s these vague impressions I have of my time down there, but there’s nothing concrete to pin it on. I know I’m missing something, just not what it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think this has anything to do with the deal with Amanda?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe? But I wasn’t under for long and it’s not like you can fall in love that quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time works different-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know time passes differently, but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t there for like two hours, or a few days, or maybe a week. I just- don’t know literally anything that happened there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I checked Elijah’s notebooks and tapes. There’s no ritual to retrieve lost memories.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what I don’t remember can’t hurt me. I’m really okay, Gavin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin nodded and then pressed the call button.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The phone rang briefly before the familiar staticky figure was appearing in front of them, teeth swirling around like normal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am the whisper- oh! Gavin and Tina! It’s you two again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Nines!” Tina waved cheerfully, the seriousness of the moments before washed away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Gavin nodded, Tina’s earlier comments about him making him feel very awkward. She wasn’t wrong when she said his voice was attractive. It’s not like a seemingly benevolent static ghost made of teeth was the worst thing he ever-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh no, no. He was going to stay on track and not give Tina the satisfaction of anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you need help with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, we just got you this,” Gavin said as he handed the drink to Nines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin didn’t know if Nines was somehow more expressive or if he was beginning to learn how to read him better, but he could swear that Nines perked up at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, man. You helped us a lot last time, so we thought we’d do you a favor. Give you a chance to just not have to be eviscerating people or something,” Gavin explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines reached out with the approximation of a hand and took the drink. The hair on Gavin’s hand stood up due to the proximity to the static electricity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. Really, it means a lot,” Nines replied with sincerity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow the mass of teeth seemed to replicate a smile, which Gavin could only partially see because looking directly at him still gave him a bit of a headache.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem, Nines,” Tine butted in, “everyone deserves a break.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what do you two do when you’re not doing dangerous magic rituals, then?” Nines asked before practically inhaling the drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, that takes up most of our time actually,” Gavin explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s only because you’re a workaholic and literally don’t know how to take a break,” Tina retorted, “I’ve been catching up on watching </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hannibal</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hannibal</span>
  </em>
  <span>? I remember watching that show when it was first airing. That was back when I still had my body. The whole static thing happened before I got to finish watching.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow that sucks, dude,” Tina empathized, “Where did you leave off?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them started talking about the show together while Gavin stood back and mentally was going through his plan on how to convince Nines to work with them when he was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gavin? Do you like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hannibal</span>
  </em>
  <span> too?” Nines asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I haven’t seen it yet,” Gavin replied, “But, uh, I’ve seen </span>
  <em>
    <span>Over The Garden Wall</span>
  </em>
  <span> before? That was pretty good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t seen that before but I would like to! If you don’t mind, we could always watch it together?” Nines asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure,” Gavin responded, doing his best to ignore the look he knew Tina was sending him. Damn, he really wished that Nines had a face that he could actually tell what his current expression was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So Nines,” Tina started, changing the topic, “what about you? What do you do for fun?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, not much actually. It’s not like I exist when I’m not being recorded so I just… don’t do anything and wait. You guys still have that favor due for Amanda right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it’s really inconvenient,” Tina replied before she started coughing violently, “Aw fuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is she okay?” Nines asked, turning to Gavin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Side effect of ritual shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines seemed to understand as Tina coughed up more seawater. This time there were three tapes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tina collapsed back onto the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s always worse than I remember. Also why the fuck was it three this time? I hate this shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d recommend listening to those as quickly as possible,” Nines recommended, “Personal experience has proven to not let higher forces get impatient. Also, could you hand that tape recorder for a second?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin handed it to him, and before he could process what was happening, Nines snapped the thing in half.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We needed tha-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Relax. I have special abilities, remember?” Nines gestured to the two halves of a tape recorder in his hand that had turned into two separate tape recorders, “Now you have two tape recorders to work with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, okay but why?” Tina asked, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! One of you should stay here and listen to the tapes. The other one…” the noise of static increased, “I hereby invoke the right of service,” Nines said in an odd voice before the static faded again, “The other one of you gets to come with me. I just settled your contract.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a beat of silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, what?” Gavin asked, somehow more confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That deal you had with Amanda? The one you owe her a favor for? Well, I invoked the rights of service, so now you owe that favor to me instead. I’m claiming that favor right now by having one of you come with me and bring the tape recorder, a much better deal than whatever Amanda was going to make you do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well thanks,” Gavin replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me yet. I’ve got an actual favor I need help with from one of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t we both have to listen to the tapes? Together? That’s what I was assuming,” Tina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, only one of you is required. It will be fine for one of you to come with me instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go with Nines,” Gavin replied perhaps a bit too quickly, “I mean, it’s my turn for the magical adventure, Tee,” he tried to justify himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m not sure if this is going to count as a magical adventure, but I will appreciate the help, Gavin. Here, I’m going to write down an address. I need you to go there and bring the recorder. Tell the front desk that you’re friends with Chris Miller. Start recording when you get there,” Nines handed him a scrap of paper with the address scrawled on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wonderful. I’ll see you there, Gavin,” Nines said before fading out in a blitz of static.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop looking at me like that,” Gavin told Tina once Nines was gone, mock-punching her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You repressed gay men with commitment and attachment issues who are also touchstarved are all the same. You see a vaguely humanoid shape with a hot man voice and you’re instantly whipped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like that, okay! I just… it was my idea that we should get to know him better and get him to side with us, I should be the one who sees this through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever you say!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin imputed the address Nines gave him into his phone and started checking the surrounding area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you checking for?” Tina asked mischievously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seeing if there are any proper coffee places on the way where I could get the guy something better to drink.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, uh-huh yup that’s a totally normal thing to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh fuck off,” Gavin grumbled as he left and flipped Tina off, who was still grinning at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t long after he pressed record for Nines to appear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Gavin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah, hi dude,” Gavin replied, suddenly feeling very awkward, “It’s, uh, nice place you got here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. Technically it isn’t mine. Belongs to some high ranking detective. However, he’s never here, at least not in the same sense that we are. Time processes differently for him, slower I believe. He still manages to pay rent so it works out,” Nines took notice of the drink orders that Gavin was holding, “What did you bring?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just your usual drink order. And some coffee from this small shop I found on the way. They had pretty good reviews online and I tried one of theirs. Pretty good in my opinion. Thought you might like to branch out your interests a little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines’ static buzzed excitedly as he grabbed the drinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Gavin. Honestly. This means a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem, man,” Gavin replied a bit awkwardly before heading over to a nearby couch and sitting down. Nines went to sit down next to him, drinking the first coffee at lightning speed. Gavin could feel the hairs on his arms stand on end due to their proximity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So how is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “It’s very good. Not the same as Starbucks, but I like it,” Nines replied, before drinking his other drink, “You know, I said that the Starbucks drink was good which is why I liked it, but I think it’s the nostalgia more than anything else. Back at my old apartment, before all of this,” he said gesturing to his static and teeth, “there was a Starbucks down the block. I stopped there all the time because I was a desperate graduate student who wasn’t going to go out of his way for better coffee. It’s just… a memory of a time I can’t get back,” Nines paused, “But I can also appreciate a bit of variety. Thank you again. Most people I have to scare into buying me one drink, and you’ve easily outdone most of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, glad you like it. Maybe there’s hope for you yet,” Gavin said in an attempt to lighten the mood, “So, uh… if you invited me to talk that’s totally fine and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no. This is nice but I have a legitimate favor I need to ask of you. One second,” the static increased as Nines seemed to grab something out of his form. He soon held out a tape of his own, “That is not a pleasant feeling. Definitely one of my abilities I get the least enjoyment out of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do you want me to play the tape?” Gavin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that’s one of the reasons I needed you to bring the recorder.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you… do you want to listen to it too? Or should I go somewhere else or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I will stay here with you. The only reason I exist right now is that you’re recording. I can’t listen to the tape myself without you being here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Gavin said, mentally slapping himself for asking a dumb question, “Okay, I’ll play it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tape was… unpleasant to say the least. It was a recording of Amanda speaking to another person making the deal with her in the phone booth. They were at the part of the bargain where they had to complete a quiz. Gavin had to do it when he dealt with her, and so did Tina. The questions were nonsensical and seemingly random, but the price for lying was to remove the body part that Amanda specified. The woman currently dealing with her had been caught in a lie, and the desperate screams of pain as she was forced to saw off her own leg at the knee was not an enjoyable audio experience, to say the least. The woman, sobbing from pain, opened the door to the payphone and stumbled out, presumably to receive medical care. The sound of some chute opening up and the now discarded leg followed. The tape shut off about a second after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, good thing I didn’t lie, I guess?” Gavin said to break the tension, not quite sure what the point of this was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Play it again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The whole thing or…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Just the last few seconds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin did as he was told.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin replayed the last few seconds and waited for Nines to say something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, Nines?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing!” Nines growled, standing up to his full height as he began hovering back and forth across the room, “Not one goddamn hint. Fuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you… alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They fuck us over, you know that right?” Nines asked, his anger palpable in the air as his figure grew into a less humanoid shape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who does?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The people in power. Those like Amanda who can hold so much over you. You think that if you’re lucky you can make it, but you can never win. The best you have to hope for is to be turned into the same kinda monster as them,” Nines’ figure was hardly humanoid anymore, his sharp teeth spinning around at fast speeds as he crackled menacing energy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry?” Gavin tried, quite frankly feeling a bit unsafe at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I-” Nines said, as he started to calm down, “Apologies. I believe I let my anger get the better of me for a moment there,” he apologized as his form swirled back into its humanoid shape, the static crackling at a more familiar and less intimidating speed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, I get it,” Gavin wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if he was criticizing others for not having the best abilities at controlling their anger, “What were you trying to hear in the tape?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The call center, or whatever it is called. I am not sure what the exact nature of Amanda is, but there must be some central hub to all of this. One singular location from which she is able to reach out and talk to all those making bargains with her. I was hoping I could hear something on the tape that might give me a clue to where she is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you trying to find her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am going to kill Amanda,” Nines said with firm resolve, “I am going to kill her and I’m going to get my body back. I just want to exist properly again, but… it’s-it’s fine. We can watch </span>
  <em>
    <span>Over The Garden Wall</span>
  </em>
  <span> together if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” the gears started spinning in Gavin’s head, “Would you consider Amanda your primary foe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not suppose. I need you to be certain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then, yes. She is my primary foe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you consider doing a ritual to find her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you serious? That would be- well that would be amazing. I would owe you something major for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. I’ve got to go prep the ritual first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Understood. Just turn the tape back on when you’re ready to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Gavin had set up everything properly, he hit the record button. Soon the now-familiar presence of static and teeth was with him in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a cow’s head?” Nines asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A bull’s actually. It’s part of the ritual. Basically, we gotta stand in these opposite salt circles. We then tell each other secrets and then move into another circle. Once we crossed three circles, we’ll find out where Amanda is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds easy enough. What sort of secrets do we have to tell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me get the wording correct,” Gavin said as he pulled out the folded piece of paper, “First, a damaging secret that someone has entrusted to you. Second, a secret that might make the other person think less of you. And finally, a secret that could cause the other person to experience genuine emotional harm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those are… quite heavy, aren’t they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, they’re rough. Obviously, they have to be true. Also…” this was the hard part, “if one of us breaks the circle, we will be given a minor boon, but the other one of us will instantly die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s… quite severe, is it not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s how these things tend to go. Seems like you can’t get much power without putting your life and limb on the line,” the constant flare of pain in his right leg was proof enough of that, “Do you still want to do this? We can stop now and not face any consequences.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s serious but… God, I hate to ask this but you wouldn’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Gavin cut in, knowing what he was being asked, “I wouldn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. I wouldn’t either. I- I think I trust you, Gavin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, uh, I trust you too.” And the odd thing was that Gavin did. He had never been one to trust others quickly, but something about this… man? Static man? Whatever Nines was now, compelled him to trust him in a way no one else had other than Tina in literal decades.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. I’m ready to go then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Step in the furthest circle. I made sure that they go from North to South. You also need to go first, since it is your enemy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Nines said as he hovered his form where Gavin indicated. Gavin stepped into the opposite circle, there was no going back now. “Remind me again of the exact wording of the first secret? I want to ensure I do this accurately.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A damaging secret someone has entrusted to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to know the person, correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Just any secret from someone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Nines paused a moment before speaking, “Chloe killed a man in defense when she was seventeen. He was making unwanted advances on her and she fought back. She knew that there was not enough evidence to help her if she confessed or the body was found, so she called me. I helped her dispose of the body. The man is still listed as missing, but I know the exact location of the body, or what is still left at this point. Last I heard from her, she was beginning her career in politics, so this news leaking out would destroy her career and potentially send her to jail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That should work. Move to the next circle.” Nines did as he was told.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin sighed heavily before sharing his secret. “My biological father never told his side of the family that I existed. My mother had been under the impression that he was only seeing her, but my father was actually already married and expecting another kid. When she became pregnant, he cut her off and didn’t provide any support. He was a wealthy man with a good reputation and refused to risk a scandal. His wife is still alive and doesn’t know I exist. He has several memorials and monuments put up at his old universities and business, but none of them mention that he was a cheater and deadbeat father. I met him once, by accident, where he admitted that he never intended for anyone to know who I was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin stepped into the next circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- I’m sorry, Gavin,” Nines said with what sounded like genuine concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin waved it off. “The dude was an asshole anyway. Probably for the best he never claimed me as his own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. A secret that could cause the other person to think less of you,” Nines said with reprehension.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin was starting to feel concerned. He trusted Nines now, but there was so much he didn’t know about the guy. Would he still trust him after hearing the next two?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I might have killed my brother,” Nines finally said, “I had been desperate for more power. This magic stuff had consumed my life and I had drawn the attention of many dangerous people from both realms. I made a bargain with Amanda. For the power to defend myself, I had to cause my brother to experience a horrific accident. The details of the accident weren’t specific, but some of those examples she gave of what might happen… it probably would have been better if he had died instead. But I was so focused on surviving that I thought I would be willing to pay any price for it. So I agreed. Something horrific happened to him, but I never checked to see what it was. As long as I don’t know, I can live in denial that it was less severe than I fear. In the end, turns out it didn’t really matter. The power wasn’t enough and I was back at Amanda’s payphone, trying to get more. Turns out that there was a price I couldn’t pay and well, being turned into a monster whose sole purpose of existence is to work for the being that caused you to do something horrific to your brother who you had always promised to protect isn’t the ideal life, but c’est la vie.” Nines paused and almost looked regretful. “Gavin, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone does shitty things,” Gavin quickly responded before Nines could say anything else. “Step into the next circle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin still trusted Nines, but he knew what the secret he was about to share was, and based on what Nines had just admitted, he didn’t know if Nines would still trust him after this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brother reached out to me before he died,” Gavin began, “I don’t know how he found me. Our dad never told him, but somehow the guy snooped around enough to discover both the fact that he had a half brother and what my number was. He messaged me, but I… I never reached back. He already knew about the illness then, and it’s not like I ever wanted to be a part of the shitty rich side of my family that kicked my mom to the curb. I figured that he was going to die soon anyway, why bother getting attached? He died and I got an invite to the funeral. I didn’t go. A few weeks later, I got a package from his lawyer. He left me his notebooks on rituals, his entire tape collection, even his goddamn house. That’s how I got involved with all of this. Now I’ve heard him on the tapes, I’ve met dozens of people who knew him. Some who loved him, some who hated him. I keep finding out more and more about this man with who I share half my DNA but never knew and yet… I don’t regret it. I’m glad that I never got back to him when he was alive. I’m content knowing that I never got to know him. If I went back to when he was alive, I don’t think I would change anything because I think I made the right choice, never getting emotionally attached. I don’t feel anything towards him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At times like these, he really wished Nines had more discernible features because it was next to impossible to be able to tell what Nines was thinking at the moment. But he didn’t break the circle, so Gavin took that as a sign to step forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last one,” Nines remarked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin could feel the tension from where he was standing. A secret that could cause the other genuine emotional harm. Yeah, this one wasn’t going to be pretty on either end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I lied back at the motel,” Nines admitted reluctantly, “I don’t actually know for certain if only one of you has to listen to the tapes. It was a guess on my part. I am mostly certain, but I don’t know for sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin felt his heart stop. He was less angry and more terrified. “What? But that- the whole ritual could be fucked up now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, okay? I am over 90% positive you’re fine, but I can’t say with certainty that you’re fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- the tapes don’t even take long to listen to! We could have waited. Why did you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I was scared, alright!” Nines' voice cut him off. His teeth were swirling faster again, “I don’t know when and if you will call me back. And that in-between time? That break within existence? It’s terrifying. Being trapped in the void, this liminal space, only enough awareness to know what you are not, not enough to actually be- it’s goddamn terrifying. Time means nothing in there and I am always scared that no one will ever call me again and bring me back into existence. That I will be trapped there for all eternity because I can’t exist without someone recording me. That’s why I need to get my body back so desperately, because that? That is hell. So yes, I put you and Tina in danger by doing this, but I was too scared of never hearing from you again to not do it. I’m sorry. Please don’t break the circle, Gavin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin was silent. That was a lot to process and he was still terrified of what the consequences might be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gavin?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Move to the next circle, Nines,” Gavin ordered, doing his best to sound composed. Yes, he was scared and upset at that, but he wasn’t going to kill the guy for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nines hovered into the final circle. Gavin took a deep breath and hoped it wouldn’t be his last after he revealed this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When Tina and I called you to our motel room earlier, it was because we wanted to be friends with you. But… I had another reason too. I thought that if you liked us, if we were friends, that would be useful for us. We’ve got a lot of enemies now and not a lot of friends we can trust, and you’re obviously powerful too. I also thought you could help us with Amanda’s request, which you did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can use someone and still want to be friends. All relationships are kinda transactional when you think about it. I wanted your friendship, I just had other things I wanted beyond that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- I guess it worked out for you in the end, didn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gavin stepped into the final circle with Nines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, good job. We completed the ritual.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When are we supposed to-” Nines began to ask before they were cut off by the sound of gasping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bull’s head opened its mouth to gasp out “Martin County Navy Yards, Old Union Building, Lot C.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That explains the bull’s head,” Gavin pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quite,” Nines agreed, “That’s in Indiana right? A bit of a long drive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eh, it’s not too bad. I think you and I can afford to make the trip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, Gavin?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is the bull’s head still gasping?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I… put it somewhere?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah sure. You got a freezer or something here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Though I doubt Chris will be too happy when he sees this,” Nines remarked as he picked it up and took it over to the freezer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was silence when the freezer door was shut, trapping the still gasping bull’s head inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nines? Are we… you know, good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neither of us broke the circle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but… just so you know I still want to watch </span>
  <em>
    <span>Over The Garden Wall</span>
  </em>
  <span> with you sometime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. And again I apologize for what I did with the two tape recorders. It was a poor decision on my part, and you and Tina shouldn’t have to have the consequences of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s… alright, man. You were scared, right? I’ve made bad choices out of fear before too,” he gestured to his bad leg, “you don’t get your leg royally and magically fucked by being brave and following rituals down to the letter all the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you realize that I don’t want anything bad to happen to either of you due to my negligence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… I do,” Gavin didn’t know what to make of Nines, but he still trusted him. Nines didn’t seem like someone trying to intentionally harm Gavin or Tina, and that counted a lot by Gavin’s books. Besides, Gavin couldn’t say that he wouldn’t do the same if their positions were reversed. “Let’s go get your body back.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this instead of doing schoolwork LMAO. anyways queer horror podcasts for the win! </p><p>Comments and Kudos are my life's blood I love to see them!</p><p>Follow me on tumblr @chaotic-bi-incarnate for more rambling about hyperfixations and at @elliot_475 for some art and cosplay stuff I do</p><p>Hoped y'all enjoyed this so far!!! Can't give a timeline on when the next chapter will be but I intend to finish this soon. At the very least, December is going to give me a lot more free time to work on my WIPs so I'll be doing a lot of writing again then.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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